Revised RPO to be tabled this JS session

'The RPO has to be amended if we want to use EVMs (in the next national polls)'

An election commissioner has said that the revised Representation of the People Order (RPO) will be placed in parliament in the upcoming session.

Commissioner Kabita Khanam told reporters on Sunday at the Election Commission office in Dhaka that the RPO amendment, which includes the use of electronic voting machines (EVM), will be tabled in the session that starts on September 9.

“We are working towards the next parliamentary polls. The amendment of the RPO is in progress as well. Two commission meetings have already been held on these issues,” she said.

“Some additional corrections and some other suggestions have been proposed. The commission will decide on these in the next meeting,” Kabita added.

“We are working to send the RPO amendment proposals to the next parliament session. It will be sent after taking a decision in the commission meeting.”

When asked how many EVMs will be used in the national election, the commissioner said the Election Commission is yet to decide on this matter.

“The RPO has to be amended if we want to use EVMs.”

The Election Commission will arrange training for its officials before the election and decide whether EC officials will be recruited as returning officers, she said in a reply to a question.